Lehal Library

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION ' One who possesses no claims to systematic scholarand who nevertheless asks the public to approve ship, of his labours in a field of some difficulty, is bound to show to his readers that he has at least had fair means of obtaining accurate information and of coming to just conclusions. Towards the end of the year 1837, the author received, through the unsolicited favour of Lord Auckland, the appointment of assistant to Colonel Wade, the political agent at Ludhiana, and the officer in charge of the British relations with the Punjab and the chiefs of Afghanistan. He was at the same time required as an engineer officer, to render Ferozepore a defensible post, that little place having been declared a feudal escheat, and its position being regarded as one of military importance. His plans for effecting the object in view met the approval of Sir Henry Fane, the Commanderin-Chief; but it was not eventually thought proper to do more than cover the town with a slight parapet, and the scheme for reseating Shah Shuja on his throne seemed at the time to make the English and Sikh Governments so wholly one, that the matter dropped, and Ferozepore was allowed to become a cantonment with scarcely the means at hand of saving its ammunition from a few predatory horse. The author was also present at the interview which took place in 1838, between Ranjit Singh and Lord Auckland. In 1839 he accompanied Shahzada Taimur and Colonel Wade to Peshawar, and he was with them when they forced the Pass of Khaibar, and laid open the road to Kabul. In 1840 he was placed in administrative charge of the district x)f Ludhiana; and towards the end of the same year, he was deputed by the new frontier agent, Mr. Clerk, to accompany Colonel Shelton and his relieving brigade to Peshawar, whence he returned with the troops escorting Dost Muhammad Khan under Colonel Wheeler. During part of 1841 he was in magisterial charge of the Ferozepore district, and towards the close of that year, he was appointed 1 Published in 1 vol. 8vo. 19th March. 1849.